Does Disney even care about the majority of EPCOT's Future World?

When Disney's own Imagineers are taking public shots at Future World (see recent IAAPA conventions), I think it's pretty clear that there's a real lack of commitment within Parks management for supporting Future World.

Disney seems averse to non-fiction storytelling at this point, which is frustrating, given the company's long history of non-fiction storytelling. But it seems that if the company can't package something as part of an existing franchise, it's not interested.

Perhaps Disney will write a big enough check to Universal and get the Marvel rights, then recreate Future World as a giant Marvel land. How sad would that be for those of us who fell in love with what Future World once was, and once promised to be?

It might be bad but the alternative is watching Future World die a slow death. Just rip the band aid off and feel the sting.

Wait. World Showcase is non-fiction story telling. Future World has all the major rides. That they focus on World Showcase tells me they could not sell us on Future World. That's the real sad part.

It is clear that what's selling Epcot is Food, Wine, Home and Garden. Why not just expand on these concepts? They are non-fiction, but give us a more current take on these ideas. Focus on Food with The Land, The Seas, and The Globe. Convert the problematic Imagination pavilion into a World Showcase Welcome Center. Figment gives us a tour of the Beers and Wine from around the world.

Disney has shown a lack of care for EPCOT in recent years, which is really sad since EPCOT is my favorite (and the nerdyst) of the Disney parks.

Agree with Jaiden. Other than a new edition of Test Track and Captain EO, there has not been a major Future world project in a long while. I have wondered what is going to happen to the old Wonders of Life pavilion.

Wonders of Life Pavilion is now an event spot for the Flower and Garden or Food and Wine.

I think EPCOT is going to be up for a refurb soon. I think Figment is going to make a comeback. The only attraction that has stayed mostly the same has been Universe of Energy.

I was thinking, why doesn't Disney just upgrade their pavilions with an extra room or area and upgrade the rides and spread out the festival. Therefore making more of a want to visit the extra pavilions instead of just putting the festival in one [pavilion distant from the attractions. Fixing the rides could generate more interest in them with the strategy of drawing people to them using the festival and overall making EPCOT a bit more popular.

I would like to see them make the Odyssey a festival showplace. Maybe too small?

Wonders of life = Digital world?

I just think they're trying to figure out how to turn Future World into Star Wars Universe with Spaceship Earth re-done to look like the Death Star.

^That would look amazing, but I'm pretty sure most people would get upset if Future World turned into Star Wars world. Star Wars is probably going to Studios anyway.

Yea. Star Wars in EPCOT is defiantly the wrong place to place Star Wars. Studios needs and upgrade and Star Wars is much better suited there.

Hello. This is my first post. I joined the site because I want to weigh in on this topic. I'm excited to be a part of this community.
Epcot is my favorite park, however, I would rather have Future World change to Star Wars than to watch it languish with no updates for years and years. That said, I think Epcot could change over to a Star Wars theme "relatively" cheaply.
Mission:Space could just have its movie changed.

Naboo's water environs and creatures could be integrated with real fish at The Seas.

Journey into Imagination could be transformed into the world of droids. The outside could look like Coruscant.

The top of Wonders of Life could be themed as the top of the Death Star. A basic bunnyhop, out-and-back roller coaster that travels through the Death Star trench would be thrilling. This could extend outside. It's my understanding that the part of the building that used to house Body Wars is gone. That's a pity, because that would be the perfect spot for Star Tours.

Ellen's Energy Adventure could become a "scary" ride touring the inner passages of Geonosis.

The Odyssey could be themed as the cantina in a Tatooine themed area including Test Track. There, they could use the current track set up, but build sets inside the building and outside to create a pod race.

Spaceship Earth's exterior could remain the same, but inside the highlights of Star Wars are shown. Project Tomorrow could become the Millennium Falcon.

Innoventions could be themed as Star Destroyers. Imagine walking out from under Spaceship Earth into the park and there you come face to face with two Star Destroyers bearing down on you!

There is room between The Land and The Seas and Innoventions to build a forest of Endor and a Speeder Bike coaster.

I'll share some of my ideas for The Land later.

It is a shame that Disney does not care about Future World. EPCOT Center's primary focus seemed to be Future World that was the pinnacle of latest scientific knowledge. Soarin and Test Track are not that. Granted Test Track is good (I don't know why Mission Space was not included) but Soarin is a copy of what is at Anaheim. If they wanted to do something make the footage flying over Florida instead of California. They need to start caring and update their rides. Energy and Imagination need updating without a doubt. Wonders of Life I wish they could resurrect the idea of a health pavilion. The Living Seas may need some work and possibly find ways for guests to want to go to it. WDI could have fun with Future World if they took a step back and said "Okay let's think out of the box and see what new ideas we can come up with." If they only looked at the potential of what they could do with these 100,000+ sq ft show buildings.

Double A writes: "It is a shame that Disney does not care about Future World."

I Respond: Come again? As reported on the Insiders Theme Park Website of America: "Here's a couple of Imagineering changes for you: After wrapping up the Ratatouille attraction this summer, Walt Disney Imagineering reportedly is sending Tom Fitzgerald from leading the shop at Disneyland Paris to become the creative director at Epcot."

Hm. TH that's good. Now though, how EPCOT center could the EPCOT become if EPCOT gets re-done?

That is good news hearing Fitzgerald is going to become the creative director at Epcot. It seems as though Epcot has been placed on the back burner as far as publicity. In the Walt Disney World commercials that I see on television only show the Magic Kingdom, which is definitely no longer on my choice of parks to go to. Epcot deserves some publicity as well and maybe have Disney promote education as well as entertainment. I hope Fitzgerald will find a way of promoting nonfiction story telling in Future World that will improve attendance and possibly bring in guests that would not usually attend a Disney Park.